Custom shoe and fabrication method thereof

ABSTRACT

A custom shoe fabrication method comprises the steps of forming a shoe having an upper and an outsole with the upper is detachably attached to the outsole, detaching the upper from the outsole, printing an image on a thermal transfer sheet, ironing the printed image on the upper, and attaching to the outsole the upper having the image printed thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a custom shoe and fabrication methodenabling a user to change one shoe upper to another while maintainingthe shoe sole by applying a zipper and design the shoe upper withwhatever image the user picks.

A conventional shoe is known to have a single purpose. Running shoes arefor running, and fashion shoes for showing off and self-satisfaction.Fast moving shoe fashion trend is hard for a shoe manufacturer tofollow. When it comes to sneakers and other casual shoes withnon-leather uppers, shoe design is a major factor for a user to pickone. Consumers show changing preferences on shoe design and a shoemanufacturer is almost impossible to satisfy user groups with specificdesign preferences. Though the market demands manufacturing deferencedesign shoes in a small quantity each it would be tough to meet thedemand at a competitive price.

A demand on the market is a fashion shoe reflecting ever-changingpersonal preferences. Another demand is a shoe that can be designed by auser in a simplified manner to enable the user to practically own aplurality of difference shoe sets with a single shoe sole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is contrived to solve problems in conventionalshoes. Therefore, an objective of the invention is to provide a customshoe and fabrication method to enable a user to change one shoe toanother while maintaining the shoe sole by applying a zipper between theshoe upper and the shoe sole.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a custom design shoeusing whatever image a user picks by applying the user picked image onthe shoe upper.

Still another objection of the invention is to provide a custom designshoe serving as a plurality of shoe sets with different designs.

In order to achieve these and other objectives, the custom shoefabrication method according to the present invention comprises: forminga shoe having an upper and an outsole, wherein the upper is detachablyattached to the outsole; detaching the upper from the outsole; printingan image on a thermal transfer sheet; ironing the printed image on theupper; and attaching to the outsole the upper having the image printedthereon.

The upper is replaceable with a substitute upper. The method may furthercomprise trimming the printed thermal transfer sheet prior to theironing. Here, it is recommended that the printing is a thermal transferprinting. The image is a downloadable file or one selected from a textmark, a design mark, a pop star, a movie star, and an art work. Thefabrication method may further comprise adding a celebrity signature onthe image-ironed upper prior to the attaching.

In an embodiment, the custom shoe fabrication method comprises forming ashoe having an upper and an outsole, wherein the upper is detachablyattached to the outsole by a zipper; detachedly unzipping the upper fromthe outsole; selecting an image on a computer screen; printing theselected image on a thermal transfer sheet; ironing the printed image onthe upper; and attachedly zipping to the outsole the upper having theimage printed thereon.

For a better performance, a custom shoe according to the presentinvention comprises: an outsole; an upper; a zipper detachably attachingthe upper to the outsole; and an image ironed on the upper using athermal transfer printing. The shoe may further comprise a celebritysignature on the upper.

The advantages of the custom shoe and fabrication method include: (1) anindividual user can design a custom fashion shoe by detaching the shoeupper from the sole and printing whatever image on the shoe upper usinga thermal transfer sheet; (2) a plurality of shoe uppers with differentdesigns can be selectively zipped and attached to a single shoe sole,thus virtually creating a plurality of design shoe sets; and (3) thecustom shoe expands applicability of the detachable shoe uppers from aself-designed upper to a souvenir with a celebrity signature. Althoughthe present invention is briefly summarized, the full understanding ofthe invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detaileddescription, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view showing formation of a shoe according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing image printing process on an upper of the shoeaccording to the present invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are flowcharts illustrating the shoe fabrication methodaccording the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

As demonstrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the custom shoe and fabrication methodaccording to the present invention provides convenience in custom shoedesign. As shown therein, the custom shoe 10 comprises an outsole 20, anupper 30, and a zipper 40 detachably attaching the upper 30 to theoutsole 20. An image 50 may be ironed on the upper 30 using a thermaltransfer printing.

For a better performance, the upper 30 may be replaceable withsubstitute uppers 32, 34. The image 50 is preferably a downloadable fileor one selected from a text mark, a design mark, a pop star, a moviestar, and an art work. The shoe 10 may further comprise a celebritysignature on the upper 30 or on the substitute uppers 32, 34.

As shown in FIG. 1, an upper teeth 42 of the zipper 40 is attached alonga lower end of the upper 30 selected depending on a user's preference,and a lower teeth 44 is attached along an upper end of the outsole 20.By zipping the upper 30 to the outsole 20 using a zipper slider 46, afashion custom shoe 10 becomes ready for use. Here, zipper stops 48 maybe formed in a predetermined size to facilitate open and close of thezipper 40. Preferably, the zipper 40 is color matched with the upper 30or the outsole 20. In a preferred version, a front top 70 may beprovided to cover a user's toes and a tongue 72 may be attached to thefront top 70. A string 74 may be provided as applied to a commercialsneaker and a standard shoe.

The custom shoe fabrication method according to the present inventioncomprises a forming step S10 to form a shoe 10 having an upper 30 and anoutsole 20 where the upper 30 is detachably attached to the outsole 20,a detaching step S20 to detach the upper 30 from the outsole 20, aprinting step S30 to print an image 50 on a thermal transfer sheet 60,an ironing step S40 to iron the printed image on the upper 30, and anattaching step S50 to attach to the outsole 20 the upper 30 having theimage 50 printed thereon.

In the shoe fabrication method, the upper 30 is replaceable with asubstitute upper 32 or another substitute upper 34. The method mayfurther comprise a trimming step S35 to trim the printed thermaltransfer sheet 60 prior to the ironing step S40. The printing may beperformed by a thermal transfer printing. In the method, the image 50 ispreferably a downloadable file or one selected from a text mark, adesign mark, a pop star, a movie star, and an art work. In a preferredversion, the show fabrication method comprises an adding step S45 to adda celebrity signature on the image-ironed upper 30 prior to theattaching step S50.

In another embodiment, the custom shoe fabrication method comprises aforming step S10 to form a shoe 10 having an upper 30 and an outsole 20,the upper 30 is detachably attached to the outsole 20 by a zipper 40, anunzipping step S20 to detachably unzip the upper 30 from the outsole 20,a selecting step S30 to select an image 50 on a computer screen (notshown), a printing step S40 to print the selected image 50 on a thermaltransfer sheet 60, an ironing step S50 to iron the printed image on theupper 30 using a household iron 62, and a zipping step S60 to attachedlyzip to the outsole 20 the upper having the image 60 printed thereon.

The shoe fabrication method according to this embodiment, the upper 30is replaceable with a substitute upper 32 or another substitute upper34. The method may further comprise a trimming step S45 to trim theprinted thermal transfer sheet 60 prior to the ironing step S50. Theprinting may be performed by a thermal transfer printing. In the method,the image 50 is preferably a downloadable file or one selected from atext mark, a design mark, a pop star, a movie star, and an art work. Ina preferred version, the show fabrication method comprises an addingstep S55 to add a celebrity signature on the image-ironed upper 30 priorto the zipping step S60. The image 60 may be obtained from a localcomputer, internet, local area network, or wide area network.

As discussed above, the custom shoe has numerous advantages. Forexample, an individual user can design a custom fashion shoe bydetaching the shoe upper from the sole and printing whatever image onthe shoe upper using a thermal transfer sheet. A plurality of shoeuppers with different designs can be selectively zipped and attached toa single shoe sole, thus virtually creating a plurality of design shoesets. Further, the custom shoe expands applicability of the detachableshoe uppers from a self-designed upper to a souvenir with a celebritysignature.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference todifferent embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skills inthe art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the accompanying claims.

1. A custom shoe fabrication method, comprising: forming a shoe havingan upper and an outsole, wherein the upper is detachably attached to theoutsole; detaching the upper from the outsole; printing an image on athermal transfer sheet; ironing the printed image on the upper; andattaching to the outsole the upper having the image printed thereon. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the upper is replaceable with asubstitute upper.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising trimmingthe printed thermal transfer sheet prior to the ironing.
 4. The methodof claim
 1. wherein the printing is a thermal transfer printing.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the image is a downloadable file.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the image is one selected from a text mark, adesign mark, a pop star, a movie star, and an art work.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising adding a celebrity signature on theimage-ironed upper prior to the attaching.
 8. A custom shoe fabricationmethod, comprising: forming a shoe having an upper and an outsole,wherein the upper is detachably attached to the outsole by a zipper,detachedly unzipping the upper from the outsole; selecting an image on acomputer screen; printing the selected image on a thermal transfersheet; ironing the printed image on the upper; and attachedly zipping tothe outsole the upper having the image printed thereon.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the upper is replaceable with a substitute upper. 10.The method of claim 8, further comprising trimming the printed thermaltransfer sheet prior to the ironing.
 11. The method of claim
 8. whereinthe printing is a thermal transfer printing.
 12. The method of claim 8,wherein the image is a downloadable file.
 13. The method of claim 8,wherein the image is one selected from a text mark, a design mark, a popstar, a movie star, and an art work.
 14. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising adding a celebrity signature on the image-ironed upper priorto the zipping.
 15. A custom shoe, comprising: an outsole; an upper; azipper detachably attaching the upper to the outsole; and an imageironed on the upper using a thermal transfer printing.
 16. The shoe ofclaim 15, wherein the upper is replaceable with a substitute upper. 17.The shoe of claim
 15. wherein the printing is a thermal transferprinting.
 18. The shoe of claim 15, wherein the image is a downloadablefile.
 19. The shoe of claim 15, wherein the image is one selected from atext mark, a design mark, a pop star, a movie star, and an art work. 20.The shoe of claim 15, further comprising a celebrity signature on theupper.